All human thoughts come short, Supreme of Things! Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee Is no deficience found. Not so is Man, But in degree-the cause of his desire By conversation with his like to help
Or solace his defects. No need that thou Shouldst propagate, already infinite,
And through all numbers absolute, though One ; But Man by number is to manifest His single imperfection, and beget Like of his like, his image multiplied, In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. Thou, in thy secrecy although alone,
Best with thyself accompanied, seek'st not
Social communication—yet, so pleased,
Canst raise thy creature to what highth thou wilt 430 Of union or communion, deified;
I, by conversing, cannot these erect
From prone, nor in their ways complacence find.' Thus I emboldened spake, and freedom used Permissive, and acceptance found; which gained This answer from the gracious Voice Divine :-
“Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased, And find thee knowing not of beasts alone, Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself— Expressing well the spirit within thee free, My image, not imparted to the brute; Whose fellowship, therefore, unmeet for thee, Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike. And be so minded still. I, ere thou spakest, Knew it not good for man to be alone, And no such company as then thou saw'st Intended thee-for trial only brought,
To see how thou couldst judge of fit and meet. What next I bring shall please thee, be assured,
Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.'
"He ended, or I heard no more; for now My earthly, by his heavenly overpowered,
Which it had long stood under, strained to the highth In that celestial colloquy sublime,
As with an object that excels the sense,
Dazzled and spent, sunk down, and sought repair Of sleep; which instantly fell on me, called By Nature as in aid, and closed mine eyes. Mine eyes he closed, but open left the cell Of fancy, my internal sight; by which, Abstract as in a trance, methought I saw, Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the Shape Still glorious before whom awake I stood; Who, stooping, opened my left side, and took From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm,
And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound, But suddenly with flesh filled up and healed. The rib he formed and fashioned with his hands; Under his forming hands a creature grew, Man-like, but different sex, so lovely fair
That what seemed fair in all the world seemed now Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained And in her looks, which from that time infused
Sweetness into my heart unfelt before,
And into all things from her air inspired The spirit of love and amorous delight.
She disappeared, and left me dark; I waked To find her, or for ever to deplore Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure: When, out of hope, behold her not far off, Such as I saw her in my dream, adorned With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow To make her amiable. On she came, Led by her Heavenly Maker, though unseen
And guided by his voice, nor uninformed
Of nuptial sanctity and marriage rites.
Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love.
I, overjoyed, could not forbear aloud :—
"This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfilled
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,
Giver of all things fair-but fairest this Of all thy gifts!-nor enviest. I now see Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, my Self Before me. Woman is her name, of Man Extracted; for this cause he shall forgo Father and mother, and to his wife adhere, And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul.'
"She heard me thus ; and, though divinely brought,
Yet innocence and virgin modesty,
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth,
That would be wooed, and not unsought be won, Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retired,
The more desirable-or, to say all,
Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought— Wrought in her so, that, seeing me, she turned. I followed her; she what was honour knew, And with obsequious majesty approved
I led her blushing like the Morn; all Heaven,
And happy constellations, on that hour
Shed their selectest influence; the Earth
Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill;
Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs Whispered it to the woods, and from their wings Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub, Disporting, till the amorous bird of night Sung spousal, and bid haste the Evening-star On his hill-top to light the bridal lamp.
"Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought
My story to the sum of earthly bliss Which I enjoy, and must confess to find
In all things else delight indeed, but such
As, used or not, works in the mind no change,
Nor vehement desire-these delicacies
I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, Walks, and the melody of birds but here, Far otherwise, transported I behold, Transported touch; here passion first I felt, Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else Superior and unmoved, here only weak Against the charm of beauty's powerful glance. Or Nature failed in me, and left some part Not proof enough such object to sustain, Or, from my side subducting, took perhaps More than enough—at least on her bestowed Too much of ornament, in outward show Elaborate, of inward less exact. For well I understand in the prime end Of Nature her the inferior, in the mind And inward faculties, which most excel; In outward also her resembling less
His image who made both, and less expressing The character of that dominion given O'er other creatures. Yet, when I approach Her loveliness, so absolute she seems And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best. All higher Knowledge in her presence falls Degraded; Wisdom in discourse with her Loses, discountenanced, and like Folly shows; Authority and Reason on her wait,
As one intended first, not after made
Occasionally; and, to consummate all,
Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat
Build in her loveliest, and create an awe
About her, as a guard angelic placed."
To whom the Angel, with contracted brow :
"Accuse not Nature! she hath done her part;
Do thou but thine! and be not diffident
Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou
Dismiss not her, when most thou need'st her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things
Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv'st.
For, what admir'st thou, what transports thee so? An outside-fair, no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love; Not thy subjection. Weigh with her thyself; Then value. Oft-times nothing profits more Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right Well managed. Of that skill the more thou know'st, The more she will acknowledge thee her head,
And to realities yield all her shows
Made so adorn for thy delight the more,
So awful, that with honour thou may'st love
Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But, if the sense of touch, whereby mankind
Is propagated, seem such dear delight Beyond all other, think the same voutsafed To cattle and each beast; which would not be To them made common and divulged, if aught Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue The soul of Man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou find'st Attractive, human, rational, love still :
In loving thou dost well; in passion not, Wherein true Love consists not. Love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges
In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale
By which to Heavenly Love thou may'st ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause
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